- Hebrews 12:11-15
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- Heb 12:11 (KJB)
- Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit
of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
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- The present - To be near, at hand , or present
- Grievous - Pain, sadness, to affliction
- Yieldeth - Renders, return, or recompense
- Exercised - Having been trained
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- None of us view chastening or discipline as joyous when it is at hand.
The term “for the present” does not deal with time but it speaks of the fact
that the discipline of God is at hand or present in our life. As humans we
view discipline as painful, which it can be depending upon the type of
discipline God has in view. It differs with each of His children. What would
work on one could destroy the other. The whole idea of discipline is not for
God to show how much power He has over us, because we know and He knows. It
is for the express purpose of correction of the sin in our life. It is
designed to bring us back into the righteous paradigm of the Christian walk.
Once we return to righteous living, we will once again experience the peace
of God in our life. However, returning to a righteous lifestyle may take
longer than departing from one. The truth is that it is easier to gain
weight than it is to take it off. This is why God uses the term “exercised”
because it carries with it the idea of an athlete training in the nude as
they did back in Ancient Greece. This means that the athlete relied totally
upon their ability to perform without any false strengthening measures or
shortcuts. This is what God does for us, He does not allow us to take
shortcuts or gimmicks as He works completely with us as His children. This
way He trains us as He is disciplining us and when we are trained it has a
lasting effect. It causes us to remember what we went through to return to
our normal, obedient Christian life.
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- Heb 12:12 (KJB)
- Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees;
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- Lift up - Strengthen or restore
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- Basically this passage is teaching that the early Hebrew Christians were
slothful in their Christian walk and in their prayer life. The writer is
also teaching them that they need to encourage each other when someone has
fallen or is near to falling. It is time for them to rebuke their
slothfulness and be as zealous in the Christian walk as they were in the
Mosaic system when they obeyed the feasts and the sacrifices. This verse
also reveals that if a person’s hands hang down, they are unable to do
anything to defend themselves against an enemy nor are they able to take the
offensive in the Christian walk. If the hands hang down and the knees are
feeble, it shows an all around weakness of character. This is why they are
being chided for being in this position. They are Christians now and are
supposed to be walking testimonies not targets for the enemy. This is also
apropos for today because many Christians are in a mummified state and are
not doing their part in the Great Commission. This is why we are to lift up
or strengthen our hands and knees and that is done by studying the
Scriptures and performing our Christian duty without hesitation while
keeping our eyes focused on the Lord.
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- Heb 12:13 (KJB)
- And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame
be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
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- Straight - upright or in a straight way
- Lame - A word describing the disability of a lower limb resulting in
inability to walk
- Be turned out of the way - Put out of joint or dislocated
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- Here we have the solution to spiritual healing, that is, to come back
from living in disobedience. We are to pursue the “straight paths” which is
the Gospel itself.
(Isa 40:3-4 KJV) The
voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. {4} Every valley
shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isaiah 40:3-4 described the ministry of John the Baptist
as found in Matthew 3:3. The true Gospel will straighten us out whenever we
have turned aside from the straight path. John the Baptist’s ministry was
the beginning of the preaching of the true Gospel and his message had stung
people. This is what the true Gospel does, it stings us to bring us back on
the straight paths. True healing is spiritual healing to cause us to walk in
obedience once again. While God does heal physically, it is spiritual
healing that is the essential for a proper Christian walk.
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- Heb 12:14 (KJB)
- Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord:
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- Follow - Pursue as zealously as one who persecutes
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- It is incumbent upon the Christian that we are to pursue, with a great
zeal, peace and holiness. When any Christian walks in disobedience, there is
no peace in their lives. They are as the unbelievers who walk consistently
in a life of no peace. Every Christian is to walk in obedience unto the Lord
because Holiness is the description of the Christian walk. Holiness means
that we are separate unto the Lord.
(Mat
5:8 KJV) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Purity of heart means a Christian is walking in holiness
because an adulterated heart means there are several things mixed in and
therefore it is not a purely dedicated heart unto the Lord. Not only are we
to live that holy life unto the Lord, but we are to seek peace with all
people. (Rom 12:18 KJV) If it be
possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Living in peace with each other is a great characteristic
of the Christian walk. Those who do not seek to live in peace and holiness
are giving evidence that they are not saved and are counterfeit Christians
of which we must be aware.
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- Heb 12:15 (KJB)
- Looking diligently
lest any man fail of the grace of God;
lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby many be defiled;
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- Looking diligently - Oversee or care for
- Fail - Lack
- Springing up - grow up
- Defiled - Stain, pollute, or soil
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- A word of exhortation is given to those who are in charge of the
congregation. Those who oversee or care for the Christians are to
investigate any who seem to be walking contrary to the Scriptures. This may
give an indication that a person does not have salvation as they are lacking
the grace of God. There may have been some among the Hebrew Christians who
faked being saved to try and bring them back under the Mosaic law. Those who
are not saved may become the root of bitterness which may affect the
Christians in the church and cause them to have bitterness in them with all
the accompanying things such as anger, rage, or slander are all
characteristics of the unsaved and that is why the leaders in the church
must ferret them out before it affects the entire congregation. Bitterness
can pollute a congregation in very little time and that is why the
unbelievers must be escorted out or else their satanic influence may destroy
an entire congregation.
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